Jaime Alvarez Perez

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Jaime Alvarez Perez investigates the psychological and social dynamics of human-robot interaction, with a particular focus on how emotional expression—both positive and negative—shapes user behavior and perception. In his most cited work, “The Uncanny Valley Manifests Even with Exposure to Robots” (2020, 5 citations), he rigorously replicates and extends foundational studies, demonstrating that the uncanny valley effect persists despite repeated exposure to robotic technologies. This finding challenges assumptions about habituation and underscores the robustness of eeriness in human-robot encounters. In “An Antisocial Social Robot: Using Negative Affect to Reinforce Cooperation in Human-Robot Interactions” (2019, 3 citations), Perez takes a provocative turn, prototyping a zoomorphic robot that communicates anger to explore whether negative affect can strategically encourage cooperative behavior. Drawing on prior work in affective computing, his research reveals counterintuitive pathways for designing socially effective machines. Though early in his career, Perez’s contributions are notable for their conceptual boldness and methodological rigor, offering fresh insight into how robots might harness discomfort—rather than mere likability—to achieve social goals. His work is essential reading for researchers interested in affective robotics, social influence, and the boundaries of human-robot trust.